Jem (and the Holograms) is (are) making a comeback

Ladies -- and gentlemen -- I couldn't possibly brace you enough for this amazing retro toy news, so I'm just going to come out with it: Jem, lead singer of the Holograms and the rock 'n' roll answer to Barbie (and perhaps her complete inability to choose among her 100+ career paths), is being resurrected by Hasbro and Integrity Toys in the form of a new line of collectible dolls. I don't know about you, but I'm glad they aren't "a present-day take" on Jem and Friends. I want her, her alterego Jerrica Benton, her purple-haired boyfriend Rio Pacheco, and her computerized spirit animal Synergy to stay squarely in the mid-1980s, with their neon, their shoulder pads, and their crayon-haired idealism. MTV Geek has a comprehensive side-by-side comparison of the old dolls and the new dolls, which debuted at San Diego Comic Con and have been selling out like glittery hotcakes. Integrity Toys has a list of dealers, but if you can't get your hands on the dolls, Jem and the Holograms is still on The Hub. (via The Mary Sue)

The new doll costs $125, versus $8 for the original (that’s on clearance, in 80s dollars, but still). This edition will probably go to obsessive collectors and people who will pay top dollar in an attempt to regain a shred of their youthful innocence with this gaudy totem. I liked my spaceman G.I. Joe from back in the day, but I can’t see spending fifteen times what the original cost for a slightly-upgraded replacement.